Charleroi restaurant owner markets sauce, keeps tradition alive
Pictures of numerous local sports legends, and a couple of national ones as well. adorn the walls at Evo’s Sports Bar. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Evos’ Sports Bar at 601 McKean Ave. in Charleroi. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Evonne Henderson is the owner of Evo’s Sports Bar. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Paraphernalia at Evo’s Sports Bar includes pennants for the Pittsburgh sports teams. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
There also is a room for sports memorabilia from local teams. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
More of the local sports paraphernalia at Evo’s Sports Bar in Charleroi. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Rego’s fresh plain spaghetti sauce can be found at 10 local grocery stores. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The uniquely designed bar at Evo’s Sports Bar. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Evonne Henderson wanted to own a restaurant for a long time.
That dream became a reality for the Fallowfield Township woman in 2012 when she purchased the former Rego’s Restaurant and Hotel from the Giorgi family. A well-known establishment in Charleroi, Rego Giorgi began the restaurant in 1948.
However, in 2018, Henderson shut down the restaurant’s day-to-day operations. Her daughters were participating in sporting events, and she wanted to attend them.
“It was a big business,” she recalled. “After six years, I had to take a break. The day-to-day dine-in had to stop. We had a blast, but it was non-stop. It was getting to be mayhem, and it was time to put the brakes on.”
Henderson didn’t go into full-time off mode. She did continue to make Rego’s pasta and sauce on a preorder basis.
Oh yes, the sauce.
That famous concoction – at least the plain sauce – can be found in the deli area of 10 local grocery stores.
“I still, to this day, continue to do the pasta and sauce through Rego’s,” she said.
It’s a long process to make a daily batch of sauce, something Henderson said takes six hours.
Before the sale was completed and the recipe for the delectable sauce transferred, Henderson went through an extensive interview process with members of the Giorgi family.
“They wanted to be sure whoever was taking control was going to continue this tradition,” Henderson recalled. “They wanted to be sure my intention and my desire in purchasing this was in line with what they wanted to see happen. They wanted to make sure this restaurant was still going to run as Rego’s and the recipes were not going to be altered. It was pretty in-depth about what the agreement was going to be.”
Henderson reopened the restaurant June 14, 2021, at the 601 McKean Ave. location where Rego’s did business for so many years, although with a bit of a different take. It’s now Evo’s Sports Bar. Evo is Henderson’s nickname.
“I love the business, I do, but small, like what’s going on now,” said Henderson, who handles the cooking.
Evo’s is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. She still allows time for family and to attend her daughters’ sporting events.
“I have kids for a reason. I want to attend everything. I don’t miss any of my kids’ sports,” Henderson said. “I feel so much better now. I want to cook. I want to be hands-on. I love to go out there and talk to the customers.
She loves giving the place a vibe akin to the old television show “Cheers.” She enjoys knowing her customers by name.
Evo’s evokes the essence of the sports bar. The room that contains the bar is painted in black and gold to reflect Pittsburgh’s sports teams, with a wall that boasts numerous pictures of famed Steel City athletes.
There also is a room for local sports teams, which does hold quite a bit of paraphernalia of the Charleroi Cougars.
Evo’s also hosts parties; however, it is BYOB for now, at least until Henderson’s daughters graduate from high school.
On a recent day, one room was elegantly decorated for a 50th-anniversary party. That room fits 80, and a party can be increased to 120 if the sports bar is utilized.
“If the event is big enough, we’ll go into the bar,” Henderson said. “We’ll do just about anything. We can make anything happen. It’s been a blessing.”
There’s a hotel upstairs of the building with 22 units, but a renovation is planned either this year or next.
Before getting into the restaurant business, Henderson operated a teleradiology business. But she always was drawn to restaurants.
Her mother, Kathy Collins, worked as a waitress at Rego’s for many years.
Once it was placed on sale, she thought to buy the place, which she did in 2012.
Henderson would like to see the Rego’s brand spread even more. Besides the plain sauce, she would like to see other products on the grocery store shelves, such as meat sauce, mushroom sauce, ranch dressing, Italian dressing and even pasta products such as gnocchi and ravioli.
“I want more out there, pretty much everything that Rego’s is known for,” she said. “I want to see Rego’s all over.”
Henderson did have an interview planned with Giant Eagle corporate representatives in March to get the plain sauce into Giant Eagle delis.
Overall, everything is moving in a pretty good direction for Henderson and the business.
“It is unbelievable,” Henderson said. “I think everything is falling into place. It was rocky the first few years because it was something I wasn’t trained in and had to learn on my own. I think we have it together now, and that’s why we’re trying to make the brand Rego’s more involved. We’re just trying to make it a brand that everyone can enjoy in their own homes. I will never be the Giorgi family. I just want to continue the tradition.”
Rego’s fresh sauce is currently available at:
- Rostraver Shop ‘n Save
- Duritza’s Market in Belle Vernon
- Cox’s Market in Monongahela
- Monongahela Foodland
- Monessen Foodland
- Bentleyville Giant Eagle
- Washington Shop ‘n Save
- Washington Foodland
- Canonsburg Shop ‘n Save
- Bethel Park Shop ‘n Save